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A recent positive phenomenon has been spreading through the Southern tier of the United States, particularly in Texas. It involves the creation and maintenance of a “Blessing boxes” movement.

I would like to explain the phenomenon and why we need to start a Blessing Box project here in Hazleton.

Statistics today tell us one story about American prosperity and poverty. Yet, often our eyes and ears tell us something that doesn’t quite jibe with that reality.

Official numbers are often skewed, particularly since so many homeless and struggling Americans are living “off the grid.”

I recently did some work for a national client who deals exclusively in the area of homelessness, serving about 1 million homeless Americans, and I learned much from this assignment.

For example, HUD’s homeless numbers are grossly underreported. The true number of homeless Americans hovers dangerously between 4 million and 5 million people. Consider how many states have much smaller populations.

These are people with no permanent addresses. They sometimes don’t eat. Many live in their cars. And they certainly do not vote.

The idea of setting up local Blessing Boxes is a non-partisan, non-sectarian effort to help those who are struggling to meet their basic needs. My husband calls it “The Christian thing to do.” In my opinion, helping a hungry neighbor both transcends and encompasses all true religion and spirituality.

According to a recent national nightly news report, donors drop off canned and boxed foods, powdered milk, drinks, baby formula, diapers, personal care items, as well as larger things like hats and mittens. The size of the box limits the size of the donations.

I first heard about this type of donation process taking place in Saudi Arabia a few years ago.

I would like to start a Blessing Box project here in Hazleton. Our needs are more than self-evident.

Just over the last month, I have been stopped by two people asking me for food. One was a woman in her 30s, who stopped my car at Diamond and Church streets, and another was at the Hazleton Shopping Center, this time of a woman of about my age. I am 57.

Clearly, hunger is a major issue in the city of Hazleton. But people also require myriad other necessities, perhaps a bar of soap or a bottle of shampoo, a toothbrush or toothpaste. Moreover, a can of soup may be just what stands between a person having no supper, or perhaps nothing to eat all day.

I believe that we need many Blessing Boxes in Hazleton. I’d like to see one for each street. I believe our elderly population can also benefit from these boxes. Additionally, I believe this project can help us heal our wounds as a community and recognize the common ground we share as human beings.

No one in the city of Hazleton should ever go to bed hungry. No one.

So, I plan to go to the next Hazleton City Council meeting and ask how we can proceed. And if anyone who knows me, really knows me, they can be sure that I won’t take “no” for an answer. This is going to happen.

I would also like to share my contact information with those who can help. We will need donations for the wood and people to build the boxes. Folks can reach me on Facebook messaging or through my email, drmaria

wu@msn.com.

I feel quite sure that we will make this happen and proceed to end hunger and need in Hazleton.

Maria Jacketti, Ph.D.,

Hazleton

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